Board of Commissioners Approves Balanced $847.3 Million Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026

On Wednesday, June 18, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt a $847.3 million General Fund budget for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026. The Board of Commissioners’ adopted budget keeps the property tax rate steady at 73.05 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, while continuing to fund essential mandated services, investing in public and higher education, and supporting workforce and economic development.

“The adoption of this balanced budget reflects the Board of Commissioners’ continued commitment to responsible fiscal management and to the residents of Guilford County,” said Board of Commissioner Chair Melvin “Skip” Alston. “We continue to work together to ensure that every dollar is used to strengthen our community, from our ongoing support of public education to investing in emergency services, public health, human services, and other essential programs that serve and keep our residents across the county healthy and secure. This budget strives to meet the growing needs of our community as we continue to invest in our local economic development efforts and build a stronger future for all who call Guilford County home.”

Highlights of the Board of Commissioners’ adjustments to the recommended budget include:

• $499.3 million, is allocated to Guilford County Schools (GCS) and Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC).
  • $467.6 million, is allocated to Guilford County Schools – an increase of $36 million over the total allocation in FY 2024-2025. This includes $282.5 million for operating, an increase of $12.3 million to support the Board of Education’s highest priorities.
    • The Board of Commissioners allocated $3.0 million with an intent that the funds be used to increase classified worker wages and $1.8 million with an intent that funds be used to benefit safety and security to include scanners, emergency radios, cameras, and bi-directional amplification systems.
    • The budget includes $87.8 million for existing and planned debt for Guilford County Schools, $50 million for capital systems replacements and renovation projects, and $47.2 million to honor the school capital funding priority for the $2 billion school construction bonds.
• $31.7 million, is allocated to support Guilford Technical Community College, including $19.7 million for operating, an increase of $0.7 million, $1.55 million to support capital needs, and $10.4 million to support existing and future debt.
• An additional $97,000 for the Family Justice Center for the addition of one navigator position to support child trauma and adult justice initiatives and $100,000 to support Camp HOPE.
• An additional $325,000 for the Tax department for the addition of a business analyst and two commercial property appraisers.
• An additional $130,306 for the Planning and Development department for the addition of one water quality specialist position to enhance the county’s watershed and stormwater program.
• An additional $231,250 to support the Sheriff’s Office’s real-time crime center, funding for the Radio Smart Programming and the County’s reentry program that assists formerly incarcerated or currently incarcerated with transitional planning
• An additional $417,912 to continue supporting the Tenant Education Advocacy Mediation (TEAM) program.
• Rural Fire District tax rates are approved as requested by local fire district boards, providing sustainable funding for personnel, operating, and major equipment and vehicle needs.
• Approved continued funding from Opioid Settlement Funds to address the opioid crisis in the community.

Additional highlights from the budget include:

• The recommended total for all budgeted funds is $1.07 billion. The county’s main operating fund, the General Fund, will total $847.3 million.
• $1.74 million for Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and $565,000 for Economic Development Organizations (EDOs). Community Based Organizations will be awarded in July 2025.
• The budget includes a total of 3,071.75 county positions. This is equivalent to about 5.5 positions per 1,000 residents, one of the lowest position-to-resident ratios in the state.
• The approved budget includes new positions to address mandated functions and services. These additions are funded through updated revenue projections, additional fund balance, and other reductions in the budget.
  • $3.1 million, with $1.4 million in county funds, for Social Services to add 26 social worker positions to Children Services for assessment and foster care services, eight (8) positions to support Food and Nutrition Services application processing, and three (3) eligibility caseworks positions for daycare services.
  • $1.6 million, with $0.6 in county funds, to Emergency Services to add 24 positions, including paramedics and EMTs, establish four (4) additional peak demand units to improve response times and unit availability.
  • Four (4) positions in Public Health to support high-risk pregnancies.
  • $0.3 million to expand support for the Continuum of Care for Guilford County to become the Collaborative Applicant/Lead Agency to continue addressing systemic issues contributing to chronic homelessness through the addition of three (3) new positions, funded with $0 in county funds.
  • $0.6 million for Animal Services for the addition of eight (8) positions to steady operations, expand coverage for animal control, stabilize part-time needs, and expand oversight of the foster rescue program.
  • $0.4 million in additional funding for the Security department to convert contracted positions to 25 full-time positions.

Fiscal Year 2025-2026 begins Tuesday, July 1, 2025, and runs through Tuesday, June 30, 2026. FY2025--26 budget information can be found on the Guilford County website at guilfordcountync.gov/countybudget.